Filling means for subterranean tanks



Feb. 9, 1937. A QT 2,069,939

FILLING MEANS FOR SUBTERRANEAN TANKS Filed June 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 9, 1937. F. A. TALBOT 2,069,930

FILLING MEANS FOR SUBTERRANEAN TANKS Filed June 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 '5 g 5 54 ll s? 27 18 5 I 25 i H 29 J ak 1: A. zuzmz dual/Wu.

Feb. 9, 1937.

F. A. TALBOT FILLING MEANS FOR SUBTERBANEAN TANKS Filed June 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Egg:

abbozncgq gwwntoz E A $11601 Patented Feb. 9, 1937 Fl" QFFIQE FILLING MEANS FQR SUBTERRANEAN TANKS Frank A. Talbot, Baltimore, Md, assignor to Chambers, Bering, Quinlan 00., Decatur, IlL,

a corporation of Illinois Application June 2, 1933, Serial No. 674,105

3 Claims.

This invention relates to sealing means for the filling pipes of subterranean tanks.

At the present time motor fuel storage tanks at service stations are usually located underground, and the filling pipe extends from the tank to the ground surface, or to a position above the ground, and terminates at its upper end in a fitting or fill box. The fill box is closed by various covers or plugs which can only be removed by the delivery man who places the gasoline or the like in the tank. As such covers or plugs can be surreptitiously manipulated by unscrupulous dealers, it often happens that such a dealer will remove the cover and place inferior gasoline in a tank which is supposed to contain a superior motor fuel. Therefore, the primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a fill box with special sealing means including a crimped cap which may be installed by the deliveryman after he has filled the tank, and which can only be removed by a special tool. If any attempt is made by an unauthorized person to dislodge the cap, the cap from that time on will exhibit evidence that it has been tampered with, and as such caps are prominently displayed, anyone can readily see that an unauthorized person has mutilated the cap, and that the tank probably contains an inferior motor fuel.

Another object is to combine with such a fill box, a novel form of gauging device which will permit the tank to be gauged by a service station attendant without removing the sealing cap; the gauging device being of such construction as to prevent filling of the tank through the gauging device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adapter for the filling pipe of an underground tank, whereby in case the fill box is placed at a remote point, the filling pipe previously used with the fill box can be readily adapted to form a gauging device.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view of an underground tank and fill pipe and fill box, the latter being provided with one of my sealing caps.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the fill box taken on the line 2-2: of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the fill box.

(Ci. 22(l--86) Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of a conventional cover used with such a box.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a combined fill box and gauging device with the cover and sealing cap both removed, said section being taken 5 on the line 55 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the device illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a combined fill box and gauging device adapted to be arranged above the ground surface.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of an adapter for applying a gauging device to a conventional filling pipe.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, l9 designates a conventional subterranean tank having a filling pipe l l provided at its upper end with a fill box l2 which may be embedded in the concrete l3 forming the surface of a filling station or the like. It is customary for such fill boxes to be closed by a plug of one kind or another, and for the purpose of illustration, I show a plug it that is connected to the fill box by a bayonet joint it. The plug has cavities it in its upper surface to receive a tool used for the removal of the plug, and such a plug also usually has a gasket ll to prevent water or the like from entering the pipe ll when the plug is closed.

In accordance with my invention, I protect such a device by providing the fill box with an upstanding annular wall it having a flat upper surface and an upwardly flared outer surface E80. which terminates at its lower edge in an annular groove 59. This special form of wall is adapted for the attachment of a crimped cap 20 which is preferably formed of sheet metal and has an annular flat portion 2i that seats upon a gasket 22 adapted to rest on the flat surface of the wall. The cap also has an annular skirt 23 which depends from the flat portion 2| and snugly engages the flared surface of the wall when the skirt is crimped on to the fill box.

The cap has an annular inturned lip 24 at its lower edge, and when the skirt is crimped for the purpose of interlocking the lip with the groove, it will be understood that the fiat surface Zl of the cap is drawn downwardly so that the gasket 22 will make a 1iquid-tight joint with the upper surface of the wall Hi. This is of particular importance when it is considered that deliverymen frequently leave the plug it loose, and that water entering the trough 25 of the fill box, is liable to seep by the gasket l1 and enter the pipe H. 7

It may be seen from the drawings that the crimped cap encloses the upper end of the plug, and the upper surface of the cap may be providedwith suitable indicia 26 to indicate that the fill box is sealed.

When a fill box is protected with such sealing means, the sealing cap will be visible at all times, and if the seal has been tampered with, this will be readily apparent, and the public may be educated to recognize such tampering as an indication that an inferior motor fuel is being dispensed.

In case it is desired to use the same pipe for both filling and gauging purposes, the device may take the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the pipe Ila is provided at its upper end with a combined fill box and gauging box iZa. Such a combined box may have an upstanding wall I813, and also grooves I5a for a plug of the type shown in Fig. 2. Such a plug will be covered with a sealing cap like that illustrated in Fig. 2.

It will be noted that the opening 21 of the box in this instance is arranged to one side of the pipe I la, and that an aperture 28 is arranged over the pipe. The wall of the aperture is screw threaded to receive a plug 29 which may be locked in position by a screw 30 that is inserted through an aperture 3| opening into the port 21. The screw 39 can only be removed when the plug and sealing cap are absent. Consequently, an unscrupulous person could not remove the plug 29 for the purpose of filling the tank through the opening 23, without leaving evidence of the fraud.

A gauge rod 32 is slidable in the plug 29, and it has a cross bar 33 at its upper end to rest on the plug 29 and limit the downward movement of the gauge rod.

A screw threaded plug 34 may be employed to close the upper end of the hole 28, and this plug may have a cavity 35 to receive a special tool employed for the turning of the plug 34. Of

course, when the plug 34 is removed, a station attendant may readily determine by the gauge rod just how much motor fuel is present in the subterranean tank.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have also disclosed a combined filling and gauge box adapted especially for underground tank filling pipes llb which project above the ground surface. In this instance, the fitting I2b has internal screw threads |5b to receive a threaded plug, not shown, and the annular wall I80 which surrounds the plug opening is similar to the wall |B in Fig. 2, and is adapted to receive a sealing cap of the kind illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

As the fittinglZb in this instance is not embedded in concrete, an unscrupulous dealer might simply unscrew the fitting from the pipe lllb for the purpose of introducing an inferior motor fuel into the tank, and in order to prevent this, I provide a suitable look. For example, the upper end of the pipe maybe provided with a notch to receive a plate 4| that is secured in a cavity 42 within the fitting by means of a screw 43. As this screw cannot be reached when the closing plug and cap are in position, it is evi-. dent that the fitting l2b cannot be removed from the pipe.

The gauge rod 44 in this construction has a foot 45 at its lower end to prevent removal of the gauge rod from the fitting, and the upper end portion of the rod may have a cross arm 46 to rest on the fitting and limit the downward movement of the rod.

A screw cap 41 may be employed to close the upper end of the opening through which the gauge rod is manipulated.

In some instances, after a subterranean tank has been installed, it is desirable to rearrange the fill box at a remote location where it will not obstruct traffic. In such a case, as shown in Fig. 9, the fill pipe He previously used may be employed for gauging purposes. To this end,

' I attach an adapter sleeve 50 to the upper end of the pipe. The upper end of the sleeve is reduced and attached to a threaded nipple 5| which has an aperture 52 to accommodate the gauge rod 53. A screw plug 54 may be employed for closing the upper end of the nipple.

From the foregoing it will be understood that I have devised novel means which will not only protect fill boxes from tampering, but will effectively seal the box and prevent the entrance of Water and other extraneous matter.

In use, the fuel deliveryman will carry with him sealing caps of the type shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, and after filling a tank and closing the plug, he will apply the cap by means of a special crimping tool. Each time it is necessary to refill the tank, of course, the seal will have to be destroyed.

While I have disclosed what I now consider to be preferred embodiments of the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, it is manifest that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combined fill and gauging box for subterranean tanks, comprising a fitting having an upper filling port and a lower filling port ofiset relatively to one another, a gauging port in the fitting above the lower filling port, a threaded plug closing the gauging port, a lock screw holding the plug in place, said screw being arranged in an aperture which leads into the upper filling port, and a gauge rod slidable in said plug.

2. A fill box comprising a port surrounded by inner and outer upstanding walls, the inner wall being of less height than the outer wall and having an internal surface which flares upwardly and terminates at its lower end in an annular groove, and a sheet metal sealing cap closing said port and having a skirt snugly engaging said flared surface and provided at its lower edge with a substantially horizontal lip that projects into and is interlocked with said groove.

3. A fill box for motor fuel tanks and the like, comprising a port surrounded by an upstanding annular wall, the outer surface of said wall being flared upwardly and terminating at its lower end in a groove, and a sheet metal sealing cap snugly embracing said fiared'suriace and having a substantially horizontal lip projecting into and interlocked with said groove. I

. FRANK A. TALBOT. 

